Head of recruitment and assistant watching local games isn’t exactly what I’d call unusual in football! The caveat “guests of boro” simply explains where the tickets came from (as stated were playing them soon) however make of it what you will!

Especially when.. Harvey Elliott - Loan - as of yet (level I replaced) however Sam Gallagher, Brereton and Dolan first team experienced then Chapman, Butterworth, JRC potential for his role Lewis Holtby - free - Rothwell already established, replaced by buckley, Davenport, Garrett steps up Elliott Bennett - free - was a backup for Nyambe or wings - yet to replace his experience / impact in dressing room alone Charlie Mulgrew - free - left months ago, loaned out twice Barry Douglas - loan - Pickering replaces, Cirino backup Branthwaite - loan - Magliore / Carter back from loans Harwood Bellis - loan - Ayala fit, Magliore / Carter back from loan Amari Bell - Free - Pickering replaces, cirino backs up Corry Evans - free - Davenport steps up to his role, Garrett backs it up. Tom Trybull - Loan - Same as Evans, Davenport steps up, Garrett backs up, as of yet possibly need one more to replace this area Stewart Downing - free - backup so no need to replace Adam Armstrong 15m? - Obafemi? Already have two “centreforwards” who play out wide and are established - much like when Arma started and Danny Graham was the central player. So - would you say our priority should obafemi and Redrah sign - a centre midfielder?

Harvey Elliott - Loan Lewis Holtby - free Elliott Bennett - free Charlie Mulgrew - free Barry Douglas - loan Branthwaite - loan Harwood Bellis - loan Amari Bell - Free Corry Evans - free Tom Trybull - Loan Stewart Downing - free Adam Armstrong 15m? Thats the 12 out (0 in, unless you count Harry Pickering, who is a new signing but why count that when we’re grasping for short straws) Ive underlined the one I think we’d miss that we haven’t replaced already by someone moving up in the squad or u23s on fringes. Equally I’m astute enough to remember Theres weeks to go in the transfer window so might be worth waiting before I decide just how upset I am, about Bennett, Evans, Mulgrew and Stewart Downing being released! Its not like we normally deal with the youngsters not in the frame at premier league clubs until after the PL starts is it… oh wait… it is!

1) Concourse/catering etc £8 for a pie and pint in Blackburn is scandalous if you ask me. £7:50 was tbf. I would pay that sat in a decent bar / restaurant, but not for poorly managed beer / an average sodexo pie. Seems more frustrating when there’s plenty of decent local brewers and bakeries. Also - 1 game back, one customer lossed (as the queue was longer than half time!) By making some effort here, and not simply paying some scouse company to look after it, we’d be making more money. Lack of effort. 2) ST prices Gradually got worse under SW but at least those who’d signed up in 20/21 received a discount. Needs a complete rethink, should be giving 5000 seats away to schools, community groups… comped tickets for low income families etc. Distinct lack of effort 3) Matchday prices £32 for an afternoon that’s now probably costing you minimum £50 and if you’ve got kids + chips and drinks, nearly a £100. Just putting people off and when you lose the habit, it’s hard to get it back. 4) Away fans at Ewood No real issue with their seating or how many we allow, but I feel this is potentially where the lazy accountancy comes in - SW can probably justify charging a team that’ll bring 2000+ away fans £30 because the ticket turnover would be higher than the extra 1000 home fans you’d get at £20 instead. To me it seems like actual creative pricing and some improved match day fare would improve turnover quicker than simply boosting the price of tickets, but then when you look at Bolton selling 10k season tickets at a minimum of £200, SW probably thinks he’s justified selling 6500 of ours at a minimum of £400 each. 5) Brockhall Academy More I read / hear, the more it sounds like a good thing the people of whalley/langho put a stop to it. Overall - Mr Waggott you’ve got a reputation as a lazy CEO, who’s not that bothered as you’re seemingly not culpable or responsible to the owners. Hence why their perilous vacuum is to blame ultimately. Once again, all cheques and no craft. Its entirely fixable however - I’m not convinced Waggott would ever listen though.

Is this before he’s had a start in his preferred position or just ten minute sub appearances? Not specifically something you would’ve said, but there’s a whole thread about a 19 year old player who was “woeful”, completely lacked “any talent” and didn’t even “look like a footballer” before he’d even started a game.

From recollection he was on loan from Orlando and went back

Playing in MLS

Might be potentially pigeons holing myself but Ringtons, is quite literally my “bag” Got a tin of Yorkshire gold for backup

Less than 50 goals/assists combined in 250 career appearances for someone who is an attacking midfielder might explain why he’s not as well thought of universally. Personally thought the change to 433 with him one of the CMs on the side plays to his strengths though. Issue with that is the closing down, positioning to stop direct balls behind the defence (like the one kaminski stopped early doors on Saturday)

😂 you meant “Ayala suite”?

Injuries to 2 centrebacks aka Ayala and Wharton don’t forget. Hindsight is a fantastic thing. Also - out of all the loans last season, Branthwaite was probably the least convincing. Harwood bellis was good enough, Harvey was a sensation, Trybull didn’t do too badly, Douglas struggled with injuries but was an improvement on Bell. Sounds more like 80% justifiable to me, and the one not so much an “emergency”. Season before was Tosin, Walton and Cunningham. Walton was poor, however we needed a GK and I’m happy we waited because the player we got eventually is a cracking GK. Tosin was excellent and Cunny got injured early doors. Hard to suggest that season was “loan bust”? Season before - Palmer, Brereton (with fee agreed) and Harrison… I would say all three decent acquisitions at the times. Again - an improved squad due to loans. Despite all this, we could easily sign 5 loans this season and it could be 0% successful, but I’d put that down to choice of player recruited - not because they’re “loans”. In an ideal world weve just signed Harry Wilson 12m in attempt to instantly get promoted, but I’m sure most rovers fans would accept that’s almost impossible when trying to compete with wages / fees that relegated premier league teams can manage.

Might be forgetting certain things but didn’t we have Bradley Johnson in that role before we got the two loan centrebacks in? Carter and Magliore on loan elsewhere?

YouTube I think. If you can’t find it, there’s definitely extended highlight on Swansea’s YT, and it’s hilarious listening to “the penny dropping”…!

I agree to some extent but he’s played a level above all of them - we also started our Armstrong “journey” with a loan so I just don’t see the point in dismissing something purely on that basis either. If we can get a proper 18 together - a few of those - Brennan/burns can go play in league 1/2 and come back better like Haydn and Scott

Yea disgusting having Harvey Elliott wasn’t it… 🤦‍♀️

Thanks MB 👍

“Downgraded everything to do with the Club” is not true or we wouldn’t have a grade 1 academy for a start. Which sort of makes the point - they’re (Waggott especially) not trusted. Previous owners would’ve never had the same “questioning” in my honest opinion. Ps - they’re not trusted for good reasons (the owners at least) - but I still can’t see how the Indian family would know / suggest to make money by “downgrading” our facilities. I could see SW desperate to fill the commercial hole he’s created though. Im still on the fence (maybe should change my name here to “Arse splinters rover”)

Is that what it says in the plans sent out? I couldn’t find it with a quick look then (I’m making a bacon sarnie ffs) but I recall that we’d have the same number of practice pitches?

I’m no expert- how many pitches did it say we’d lose in the plans released?

You’re assumption that “are we screwing it up” is what I’m trying to explain that I haven’t made.

basically Southampton’s version of Crooke so could have some legs.

I don’t recall it being described as a “downgrade” hence why I mentioned some “independent” view of their plans would be more revealing. Mark Hughes originally changed the setup (swapped the senior for academy sites https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6218466.feel-burn/ ) My take on the plans - we’ve so many acres of land worth x amount that we aren’t specifically using. We want to upgrade the brick, and by consolidating both sites (much like our first team is essentially “consolidated” by U23s) we could raise enough funds to pay for it. I think, under different owners / ceo, nobody would’ve batted an eyelid.

This is basically my thoughts on this. I understand the worry / lack of confidence in the rationale and current CEO. I don’t understand the mindset that what we have is already perfect, purely because it’s Jack Walkers investment and still category 1. Perhaps a more independent enquiry / assessment of these plans / ideas are necessary to avoid the speculation and worry?

To be honest though - How many bad eggs has Tony signed? Between 2010-2016, The list of “players” who should’ve never worn our shirt is an exhausting read.